Yummy!

What a great idea for holiday gifts, snacks, and to have as a treatduring Christmas and New Year's parties.

I love pralines and after using this recipe you, your kids, and your holiday party guests will too!

Teri

How to Make Pecan Pralines

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A praline is a confection made from nuts and sugar. One variation that's popular in the United States is made of pecans (which grow in the warmer, southern regions where pralines are a common treat) held together by a mixture of butter, cream and sugar (or similar ingredients). No matter where you're from, however, pecan pralines are easy to make and dangerously easy to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Vanilla
  
• 2 cups Pecans
  
• 1 cup Buttermilk
  
• 2 cups Sugar
  
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
  

Steps

1. Mix together buttermilk, sugar, and baking soda in a large pot.
   
2. Lay a sheet of wax paper out on a flat surface close to your stove.
   
3. Put the pot over medium heat and, stirring constantly, allow the mixture to reach a "soft ball stage". To determine if the mixture is at a "soft ball stage" take a cold glass of water and drop a bit of the mixture into the water. A "soft ball" should form. The color should be a darker light brown.
   
4. Remove the pot from heat and mix in the vanilla.
   
5. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken (about five minutes). The brown color should get darker.
   
6. Add the pecans and continue stirring until the mixture is slightly thicker (about one - two minutes).
   
7. Spoon the pralines onto the wax paper. If the mixture starts to run, you did not wait long enough, but it's fine, your pralines will just be a bit thin. If the mixture starts to crystallize and harden, you have waited too long. That's fine, too. Just try better next time.
   
   • If the mixture starts hardening too quickly, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of warm water to thin the mixture.[1]
     
   
   
8. Allow the pralines to cool and enjoy.
   

Tips

• Some recipes incorporate cream, brown sugar and butter in place of or in addition to the ingredients listed here.
  
• Keep in mind that the word "praline" takes on different meanings in different parts of the world. In Europe, for example, the term often refers to filled chocolates. In some parts of the U.S., praline is pronounced "praw-leen" (instead of "pray-leen" or "prah-li-nay") in order to differentiate the American meaning from its European meaning.
  
• It takes a few times to get the "feel" of this recipe, but it is well worth the effort.
  
• The size of your candies can vary to taste.
  
• In the southern US, pecan pralines are often made during the Christmas season and given as gifts.
  
• You can also try using rum extract instead of vanilla.
  

Warnings

• Watch for the hot mixture popping up and burning you.
  

Things You'll Need

• Wax paper or Parchment Paper. Note that parchment paper can be better as it tends not to melt.
  
• Pot
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Peanut Brittle
  
• How to Make Sesame Brittle
  
• How to Make Pecan Pie
  
• How to Make Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Cake
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://home.att.net/~magnoliaholidays/pralines.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Pecan Pralines. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Light a Cozy Christmas Fire in Your Fireplace

Hi!

This isn't a recipe... or a craft.. but if you can't get that cozy fire going during your holiday parties or just during family time, it could place a damper (Pun intended!) on your Christmas gatherings.

Here you go and remember to follow the safety info too :)

How to Light a Fire in a Fireplace

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Lighting a fire in a fireplace is, in general, viewed as an easy task. Because of this, a majority of people may forget a few key steps in the process that would help them enjoy their fire better. What could have been a nice night by the fire can easily become a smoke filled room. Here is a recommended method that if followed, should help make your fire enjoyable from the start.

Steps

1. Check that the damper is open. The damper is a device that controls the amount of air flowing through the flue. The flue is the passage or duct for smoke in a chimney. Feel inside the chimney or pop your head inside to look at the damper with a flashlight. There should be a lever which you can try moving one way or the other. One direction will close the damper, the other will open it - check to see that the damper is open, or else smoke will pour back into the room. This is much easier to do before lighting a fire in there. Once you have determined that the damper is open, you are ready to get started.
   
2. If your fireplace has glass doors, open the doors 30 minutes before to allow the inside of the fireplace to come to room temperature. Cold air is heavier than warm air, so if the outside is too cold, it can create a river of cold air flowing down the chimney, into the fireplace, and trapped there by the doors. By opening the doors and allowing some warm air from your room to rise up the chimney, it may be enough to start the draft moving upwards.
   
3. Check the draft. Light a match near the opening of the flue and see if the draft is coming down or going up. If it is still coming down, you must find a way of reversing the draft and getting it to go up. Under no circumstances can you light the fire with the draft coming down. One method is to use a starter block (StarterLogg is one brand -- break off a quarter of a stick) or a commercial wax log (such as Duraflame or Pine Mountain). These will light and stay lit, creating some warmth inside the firebox and helping the draft start upwards, and they burn with little smoke:
   
   1. Close the damper (to stop the air from coming down).
      
   2. Put the block on the back of the fireplace shovel, light it and place it up inside the fireplace near the flue opening. What you are trying to do is to heat the upper part of the fireplace.
      
   3. When you have heated it (you will need to use trial and error to determine how long this process is) slowly open the damper and with luck and skill you will find that the heat and fire from your little block will force the air up the chimney. When the draft has fully reversed (you will hear the air sucking the fire and heat from the starter block), then you can light your fire.
      
   
   
4. Set up your wood and kindling.
   
   • Put the kindling on the grate first, with crumpled up newspaper under the grate and mixed in the kindling. Stack your wood on top.
     
     • Tinder (in this case, the newspaper) and kindling are materials used to start a fire. Tinder is little bitty stuff like dry grass or straw, tiny tigs, newspaper and the like. Kindling is a little bigger - branches that are thin as your finger, wood shavings, small bits of wood or bark (too small to be logs or to be stacked). Tinder gets lit first and burns very fast - the key is to get enough tinder under the kindling so that the kindling begins to burn. Once the kindling is burning, it should burn long enough to light the logs stacked on top.
       
     • Don't use too much newspaper, as it produces a lot of smoke.
       
     
     
   • Be sure to stack the wood horizontally (lay it down, don't stand it up on end) and leave gaps for air to pass through (create draft).
     
   • Stack it in layers, criss-crossed.
     
   • Intersperse some kindling with the larger wood. At first, the wood should be no thicker than your forearm. Using slightly smaller wood to start will burn quicker and make a good bed of embers for later on.
     
   • Stack the wood at most to 2/3 of the height of the fireplace.
     
   
   
5. Light the newspaper first. The kindling lights from that. Watch the smoke carefully for the first half hour. The smoke should be nearly undetectable if it's drafting right up the chimney.
   
   • If the smoke from the chimney turns black, the fire is not getting enough oxygen. Use your fireplace poker to lift the wood stack carefully - just pry it up a little, like jacking up a car. Take care here - all you need to do is allow some air to get under it. If your bed of coals underneath the grate is too high, use the poker to spread them out under the fire, leaving a couple of inches of air space.
     
   • If the smoke is grey, most of the combustible material is escaping through the chimney instead of burning.
     
     • You probably did not light the fire from above.
       
     • You may have used wet wood.
       
     • The fire is getting too much oxygen. Yes, this is confusing - fire is a delicate balance of air and fuel. When there's too much oxygen, the fire has a hard time catching hold of the fuel, and can make more smoke than normal.
       
     
     
   
   
6. Open a window slightly. If you're still having trouble getting a good draft on the fireplace, and smoke is coming back into the room, try opening a window about an inch. This works best if the window is on a wall opposite the fireplace, with few obstructions - you will not want to have people seated between the window and fireplace. Sometimes, this breaks a kind of "vapor lock" on the room and allows the smoke to rise up the chimney. If people are between the fireplace and window, they will be chilled because the fireplace will start to suck air up - and it'll start pulling hard from that window, which will create a stream of cold air running between the window and fireplace. Stay out of the way and let it go - sometimes if the chimney isn't tall enough, this is the only way to get the draft running well and keep smoke out of the room. The rest of the room should stay warm, it's just the draft path that will be chilly.
   
7. Add really big logs. If you're trying to enjoy an evening, you can make sure the fire will go a while without tending by building it properly to start with. Once the fire is going well, you should begin to see some red, glowing embers beneath the fire. As the smaller wood catches and the fire burns hot, grab a larger piece of wood - big. Like, as big around as your thigh, this time (assuming your thigh is a normal sized thigh). Put that on top of the fire carefully, being as certain as possible that the stack is not leaning side to side any direction. The bigger wood takes a while to catch fire, but once it does, it will burn a long time without you having to get up and stir it or move it around. The glowing embers will keep things hot, and you should be nice and toasty for a couple of hours this way.
   
8. Stir the wood down at least half an hour before you want it to go out. Break it up with your poker and try to spread it out as much as you can over the area of the firebox. The thinner it's spread, the quicker it will burn up and go out. Check after the fire is out to insure that the coals and embers are all dead. If so, close the damper so that you do not lose valuable home heat through the chimney all day long.
   

Video

How To Start a Fire in a Fireplace on Howcast

Tips

• If you are still having trouble with draft, it's possible your chimney isn't high enough, or your firebox is too big or too small. If you have a short chimney, try get a couple of extenders - usually you can get them from fireplace stores, or places where they sell masonry supplies. Use some roof patch to stick it to the existing chimney. You can also try taking off the spark arrester - sometimes the tops are placed too close to the closed part. Use some mesh, like hardcloth over the top of the opening to catch larger sparks and embers, but leave the top off. This can also help a difficult draft situation.
  
• Be sure to use dry wood for your fire. Wet wood is harder to burn. (It will burn, though, so if it's an emergency, you can burn it wet.)
  

Warnings

• Be sure the draft is working correctly before lighting the fire.
  
• Invest in a pair of fireproof gloves (welding gloves will work) in case a piece of burning wood falls out and you need to retrieve it immediately.
  
• Be sure that your chimney and fireplace is properly cleaned and maintained. Checking for cracks once per year will ensure that you don't have fire escaping the chimney and lighting the frame of your home. That would not be good. Eliminating creosote buildup (oily soot) from the inside of the chimney will keep you from suffering a chimney fire, which is a terrible thing - very hard to put out, and very destructive. See How to Inspect a Fireplace Chimney.
  
• Do not leave a fire burning in your fireplace unattended. All sorts of unexpected things can happen - there can be a pocket of moisture or sap inside a log which can cause it to pop with the heat. If it pops out past your screen and ends up on the carpet or furniture, rather than on the hearth, you can wake up to a nasty surprise - a fire in your home.
  

Things You'll Need

• Tinder
  
• Kindling
  
• Wood
  
• A device to start fires (matches, lighter, etc...)
  
• Fireplace tools (poker, shovel, tongs, etc)
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Maintain an Open Fire in Your Home
  
• How to Inspect a Fireplace Chimney
  
• How to Create a Strong Burning Charcoal Fire Without Lighter Fluid
  
• How to Treat a Burn
  
• How to Start a Charcoal Fire With a Chimney Starter
  
• How to Start a Fire With Sticks
  
• How to Start a Fire With a Bow Drill
  
• How to Appreciate a Fire
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Light a Fire in a Fireplace. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup - wikiHow

Make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup - wikiHow

How to Make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This is a pleasant, spicy, warm soup just right for a chilly autumn day. This soup can also be served cold with a little heavy cream swirled in. It will keep in your refrigerator for a week and if frozen can last a least a month.

Ingredients

• Medium size Butternut Squash
  
• 2 Large carrots
  
• 1 Medium red onion (any kind will do), finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
  
• 1 Red Chili pepper, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  
• 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  
• Fresh ground pepper
  
• Sea salt
  
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

Steps

1. Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds (keep them for roasting) and cut the squash into 1/2 inch cubes.
   
2. Peel and chop carrots into pieces about the same size as the squash.
   
3. Sweat onion and garlic over a medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until translucent.
   
4. Add the squash and carrots to the onion and garlic mixture and cook for another 10 minutes to soften the vegetables.
   
5. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
   
6. Add thyme, chile peppers and stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
   
7. Check seasoning, and puree in a food processor or blender a little at a time, making sure to allow for steam to escape.
   
8. Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and serve with your favorite bread or rolls.
   

Video

Tips

• For a different flair, cut up a Granny Smith or other tart apple and add it with the vegetables.
  
• Garnish with roasted almonds or roasted butternut squash seeds. Roast almonds or seeds in olive oil over a medium heat. Be careful with seeds as they will pop. Just before they are done sprinkle some brown sugar on them, then cook for 2 minutes to caramelize the sugar.
  

Warnings

• Make sure that you allow for the steam to escape while pureeing. Keep your hands away from the steam release.
  
• Roasting the seeds will make them pop and jump right out of the pan, and they are hot so beware.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
  
• How to Make Butternut Squash Marmalade
  
• How to Make Butternut Squash Puree
  
• How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash with Rice
  
• How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
  
• How to Make Pumpkin Soup
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Happy Almost Turkey Day!

Hey!

I am going to add a few Thanksgiving recipes later today so check back!

I am sorry it is so late, but the recipes will be easy to add to your existing menu so don't worry about the last minute shopping for ingredients.

I am also collecting some Christmas recipes and craft ideas... which I will probably move the crafts posts to a separate craft blog.

There will also be some holiday goodies as well!

Well that's it for now, I am downstairs in the restaurant in my apartment building so I am packing up and going home for now...

See ya later!

Teri

Keeping Your Halloween a Safe One!

Here is a great article on keeping your kids safe on Halloween.

The article mentions sorting candy and also waiting until your are back home from Trick-or-Treating before eating any of the candy.

I have a couple of tips to add to the candy eating and also safety sections:

1. Immediately throw out any handmade candy, cookies or cakes if you don't know who the treat is from. If you insist on handing out or letting the kids eat homemeade cookies etc., make sure there is a piece of paper in the package that identifies who it was from. Make sure to do the same thing too if you are going to hand out handmade candy or cookies. Why not just get store candy since you know all of your hard work will probably be thrown out anyway by the other moms!
   
2. It is much safer to paint your child's face than to let them wear a mask. You can easily use makeup you already have to make the perfect Halloween face.

Here is the article with more excellent Halloween safety tips:

How to Have a Safe Halloween

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This how-to is about keeping children safe while trick-or-treating. Halloween is a time of fun and in a good community, things will generally be fine. However, it always pays to take precautions on a cold, dark night when kids are running around streets where there are also cars, potholes and ghouls in the backyards...

Steps

1. Start safety considerations with the costume:
   
   • Provide highly visible costumes for your child. Bright colors, reflective parts or tape are key elements to ensure that your child can be easily seen at night. If your child has a dark costume, add reflective tape, tags or buttons.
     
   • Ensure that the costume fits well and is comfortable. A costume that is dragging or shoes that are too big are just setting the scene for a tripping child. And nothing is as miserable as blistered feet and blocks to go to get home when a child has ill-fitting shoes. Sew up loose ends, baggy sleeves or legs and choose shoes that fit well.[1]
     
   • Make sure that children do not wear anything that obscures the vision. Masks are best left for the party back at home unless an older, responsible person is holding the child's hand while crossing roads. Or, make sure masks have very large eye holes for children to see through clearly.[2]
     
   • Leave the sharp and pointy props at home in case they accidentally stab someone in the eye or a child falls on them.[3] If you do want to have some props, make sure they are soft, without sharp edges, flexible and bend when pushed.[4]
     
   • Keep kids warm and dry. Watch the weather forecast to be sure the costumes will be suitable for the conditions. Nothing worse than having a cold the day after Halloween. Even candies cannot cure sore throats and runny noses.
     
   • Use non-toxic make-up only. Check the ingredients of make-up used on children very carefully to ensure that it doesn't contain ingredients harmful to children. Also take care when applying false eyelashes, eyebrows, nails etc. - anything that sticks to a young child's skin may cause pain on removal.
     
   
   
2. Think road, driveway and path safety. Children must be highly visible to people driving cars. In addition, a child must be able to clearly see where he or she is walking - some paths leading up to house doors are poorly lit, have stairs or uneven surfaces that children can trip on. Provide a source of light to help.
   
   • Give your child a flashlight. Flashlights are very important if children are going to make their rounds in the dark, particularly when crossing roads. There are special Halloween ones if you'd like but ordinary ones will do just fine. The type of flashlight with a bright orange cone is especially visible to drivers.
     
   • Add glowsticks. Although glowsticks should not be relied upon as a light source, as an addition to a flashlight, they can help to make your child highly visible.
     
   • Tell children that they must only cross roads at lights, corners or pedestrian crosswalks.[5]
     
   • Discourage kids from riding their bikes or skateboards. Well lit areas with good sidewalks may seem safe, but many parents drive their children around, and so there is much more driveway traffic than usual.
     
   
   
3. Check the town trick-or-treating hours. Some towns have set times for trick-or-treating and if they do, make sure to follow these and have your child home on time.
   
4. Consider physical and emotional safety issues. Young children may be scared by some Halloween displays and should never trick-or-treat unaccompanied. If you do not accompany older children, you should be aware of where your children intend to trick-or-treat and set some basic ground rules about house visits and return times.
   
   • Ensure escorts for young children. Young children are those under 9.[6] Have an adult or older teen siblings go along trick-or-treating for children in this age group. If there is a group from your neighborhood, it may be safer for your children to go with them, there is safety in numbers.
     
   • Forbid children from ever entering a house. Unless it is the home of a relative or very close family friend, make sure that your children understand to never enter a home during trick-or-treat. Even where a child enters the house of a relative or friend, the adult accompanying them should go in too.
     
   • Set a route and a time of return. Do this if your kids are old enough to go out by themselves. This will allow you to backtrack them if they are late.
     
   • Look at the possibility of getting walkie-talkies if your kids are going out alone. This is especially important in rural areas where there may be some distance between houses.
     
   • Tell children to keep away from unleashed dogs that are barking incessantly, baring their teeth or growling. If a house has not leashed its dog for Halloween and the dog is making a ruckus, take this as a sign that the inhabitants are not interested in trick-or-treating. Better a safe child than a bitten one.
     
   
   
5. Consider candy capers. Stories of poisoned candies and treats abound. Although most accounts of poisoned candy/concealed needles have been proven false,[7][8] it is always better to be safe than sorry to avoid any villainous urban legend copycat. Be vigilant and keep your child safe.
   
   • Tell children to bring the candy home first before eating it.[9]
     
   • Make sure that the candy the child eats is wrapped. Go through candy given to younger children and discard anything that is opened or tampered with. Explain to older kids to do the same thing.
     
   • Also be aware to remove any treats that are too small for children under 3. Anything that might pose a choking hazard should be discarded.[10]
     
   
   
6. Try something different from homes for trick-or-treat. If you live somewhere that you feel is perhaps a little rough or is perhaps just too dark or far for your child, consider looking for alternatives run by businesses or organizations:
   
   • Check the local schools and churches to see if they have a special program running. Something like a Halloween Carnival or Fall Festival might be occurring as a substitute for trick-or-treating.
     
   • Look at local shopping malls. They might have store-to-store trick-or-treating.
     
   
   
7. Think manners. While not necessarily safety, manners can prevent the potential for belligerent responses from tired and grumpy old adults. Encourage your kids to be respectful to everyone, regardless of whether they get their treats. Sure, the tradition is "trick or treat", but many people choose not to recognize this holiday at all, and hard feelings can result from a small prank. And teach kids to be gracious for what they do receive.[11]
   
8. Consider health safety. Finally, last but not least, consider your child's health. Teeth, immune systems, body weight and general health are all impacted by too much sugar. Treats should be fun but should not be overdone. Help your child keep a health diet by:
   
   • Sitting down with your child and dividing up the treats. Ask your child to identify any treats he or she doesn't like and have those discarded immediately. Why eat something you don't like just because you have it?
     
   • Schedule treat eating time to avoid snacking on candy throughout the day. Insist that meals be eaten as always and allow treats only after meals have been eaten.[12]
     
   • Ensure that your child cleans his or her teeth thoroughly after eating the treats. Children under 10 should be assisted in cleaning their teeth.
     
   • Ask your child to consume water at the same time as having treats. Not only is this healthier than soda and therefore less of a sugar overload but it also helps to fill them up and slow down the rate at which candy is being gulped down.
     
   
   

Video

Tips

• Stay on streets which are closed to traffic on Halloween, if your town does this. If they don't, start a petition to get them to start.
  
• If you get trick-or-treaters, make sure your house is well-lit, and remove any obstacles (wet leaves, toys, etc.). Make sure that there are no naked flames located near children's costumes because even though your child will be well-fitted, other children may not be...
  
• If you decorate with lit jack-o-lanterns or outdoor electrical or electronic decorations, make sure they are safe. Electronic and electrical items may short out in damp or wet weather, and cords can cause a slip or tripping hazard.
  
• Carrying a cell phone is a good idea in case something does happen and you need to call for help or, just want to locate your friends/children.
  

Warnings

• Make sure when the child goes up to the door of the home, that he/she is visible at all times.
  
• Be careful with capes. They can be easy to trip over and can catch fire from jack-o-lanterns.
  

Things You'll Need

• Parental, guardian, older sibling or trusted friend supervision
  
• A brightly colored costume
  
• Reflective tape
  
• Flashlight
  
• Glowsticks (optional)
  
• Suitable shoes
  
• Rain or wind protection gear
  
• Walkie-talkies or cell phone plus phone numbers keyed in already
  
• Trick-or-treat bag/bucket/box/basket large enough to fit all that candy!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Have a Festive Halloween
  
• How to Find out What to Be for Halloween
  
• How to Ignore the Creepy Music They Play on Halloween
  
• How to Choose a Cool Halloween Costume
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ Safe Kids Canada, Halloween Safety


2. ↑ Disney Mom, Keep Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween


3. ↑ That'sFit Keep Kids Safe While They Trick-or-Treat


4. ↑ Safe Kids Canada, Halloween Safety


5. ↑ Safe Kids Canada, Halloween Safety


6. ↑ Safe Kids Canada, Halloween Safety


7. ↑ Snopes, Poisoned Candy


8. ↑ The Gazette, Dominique Jarry-Shore, A Season When Urban Legends Stalk More Boldly


9. ↑ Safe Kids Canada, Halloween Safety


10. ↑ Disney Mom, Keep Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween


11. ↑ Metro Canada, You Know You Want It: Trick or Treat


12. ↑ Metro Canada, You Know You Want It: Trick or Treat

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Have a Safe Halloween. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Halloween Costumes for Kids - This Year's Favorites!

I decided to help you find some great Halloween costumes for your kids to wear this Halloween.

Even if you don't buy the actual costume these can give you ideas of what Halloween, super hero, or cartoon character your kids would want to be dressed as this year and you can make your own version of the same costume or character...

With your kids of course! That's what this blog is for! :)

Here are the Most Popular Boys Halloween Costumes in Superheroes. Updated hourly from Amazon.

Here are a couple of specific super hero examples:

This Superman costume comes is sizes all the way from 5-6/toddlers/10-12 for ALL of your boys to enjoy!


Have a "Supergirl" instead? Here is the girl's version!

NOTE: Look on the page for the discount if you get a "Super Boy/Man" and "Supergirl" suit together!

Are your kids Batman and Batgirl fans instead? Here are the "bat" suits!

The Black DC Comic's Batgirl suit:

The pink DC Comic's Batgirl suit:

And of course, DC Comic's Batman suit:

The "Dark Knight" version...

The original Batman suit with built-in muscles!:

Well, that's all for this morning...

I will keep looking, you still have time for at least a couple of days to get your costume from Amazon if you are buying one and not makingyour costumes. Look for the accessories too even if you are making a costume, it is kind of hard to make a Jedi light saber! :)

Teri

Easy Halloween Laser Show

Have you ever wanted to wow your Halloween party guests or trick-or-treaters?

The following is an easy to make laser light show how-to and a great project for you to do with your kids.

Here are some of the easy parts of this project that the kids can do:

1. Glue the mirror to the speaker
2. Help you line up the laser beams
3. Pick out some scary music to play
4. Pick the colors of the lasers
5. Place the speakers around the room or your yard
6. Run the fog machine

I am sure you can probably think of a couple more if you try!

Here is a great CD of scary Halloween music you can use!

Of course, make sure to follow the laser safety tips below especially about not pointing the lasers into your eyes or at an angle that might shine into guests eyes. (Just set it up above everyones head!)

Here's the article... Have fun and Happy Halloween!

How to Make Your Own Laser Light Show

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have you ever seen a laser light show and wished you had one of your own? You can construct your own mini laser light show quite simply.

Steps

1. Collect the items listed in the “Things you will need” section below.
   
2. Take the speaker, and stretch a piece of latex over the speaker. Fasten this down with the rubber band, and make sure the latex is tight.
   
3. Using your adhesive, glue the small mirror (mirror side facing you) to the latex. Place the mirror in front of the speaker cone for best possible use.
   
4. Use some tape to hold down the button on the laser pointer to keep it turned on.
   
5. Aim the laser pointer at the small mirror you glued onto the cone of the small speaker and identify where the laser light bounces.
   
6. Adjust the angle of the speaker and the angle of the laser pointer until the spot of laser light ends up in the center of the wall. (you may need some items to prop the speaker and laser pointer so you do not have to hold either of them)
   
7. Additionally, you may have to move your speakers around so you can get the laser dot focused properly.
   
8. Switch on your stereo and adjust the volume until the laser light reflecting off the mirror makes interesting patterns of light on the wall. As the speaker vibrates, the angle of the mirror changes causing the spot on the wall to move.
   
9. Sit back and enjoy your laser light show.
   

Tips

• The greater the distance between the mirror on the speaker and the wall will create a larger pattern.
  
• The louder the music, the larger the light show.
  
• It might be a good idea to have on hand some spare batteries for your laser pointer.
  
• Use a fog machine (if your laser is strong enough to shine through, like a green laser) to enhance your experience. Strobe lights are fun to use here as well.
  

Warnings

• Do not look directly into laser beam with your eyes. Laser pointers cause pain before they cause eye damage due to the low power restrictions but it is never a good idea to look directly at the laser beam or shine it into any one else's eye)
  
• Do not shine your laser into cars or planes. This could cause the driver to become temporarily blinded; and they may lose control of the vehicle that they are driving.
  

Things You'll Need

• Laser pointer (green usually works better)
  
• Rubber Band
  
• Small loudspeaker (3" works well)
  
• Latex
  
• Stereo system
  
• Tape
  
• Any form of adhesive
  
• Small mirror (about 1/2" to 1" in diameter or just use a glass cutter to cut a small piece from a glass pocket mirror, or a broken CD)
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Animate Your Own Show
  
• How to Get Your Craft Show Business off the Ground
  
• How to Animate With Pivot Stickfigure Animator
  
• How to Not Let Anime Fans Ruin Your Show
  
• How to Create Your Own Style
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Your Own Laser Light Show. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make an Old-Fashioned Baked Apple

How to Make a Baked Apple

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A baked apple is a simple, delicious and time-old recipe that has been cooked for many centuries or as the New York Times once put it, "dates back as far as fire and apples".[1] This recipe is for the traditional version of a baked apple, which tends to always include raisins and spices, along with some form of traditional sweetener such as sugar or a syrup. You can bake your apple(s) in an oven or cook by microwave. Both methods are provided here.

Ingredients

• One apple per person
  
• Handful of raisins per apple (depends on size of each apple)
  
• Cinnamon
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 tablespoon of butter or substitute (margarine or macadamia oil are good alternatives)
  
• Pinch of brown sugar or small drops of syrup or evaporated cane juice
  
• Optional: Peach pieces, nutmeg/ mace, allspice, ginger, or lemon juice.
  

Steps

1. Core each apple. Medium-sized apples are usually best, since you don't want a tiny treat, but too large an apple will take a long time to cook. Use a melon baller to core the apple. Leave the flower end on as a bottom. Score the skin, making the skin easier to eat.
   
2. Cut the skin around the top of the "core hole". The core hole is the hollowed out space where the core sat. Cut the skin about an inch / 2.5 cm around the core hole. Place each apple in a suitably sized baking dish (microwave or oven-proof depending on method you will choose).
   
3. Fill the core hole with spices and fruit. This is traditionally cinnamon and raisins, although you can make variations - see "Tips" for suggestions. The amount of raisins you use depends on the size of the core. If you're using other fruit, you will obviously wish to reduce the amount of raisins used. Add a pinch of cinnamon to taste, and a pinch of fresh nutmeg.
   
4. Place a pat of butter or alternative on the top of the core hole. Don't use a lot, just enough to cover the hole - a quarter to a half a tablespoon is sufficient.
   
5. Add a few sprinkles of sugar or drops of syrup to the top of the raisins. If you do not want to add any sweetener, skip this step. Ensure that you have chosen a sweeter variety of apple if you do not wish to use a sweetener.
   
6. Drop a tablespoon of water into the bowl. This will add the moisture needed to keep the apple moist as it bakes, so that it doesn't come out dry. This will also provide a little apple juice at the bottom of the bowl, which adds a lot of flavor.
   
7. Bake the apple.
   
   • Oven - Set oven to moderate: 350ºF / 180ºC / gas mark 4. Bake apples for 1 hour, or until they feel tender when pierced with a fork. It is important to check regularly and add more water to prevent the apples from drying out as they bake. Alternatively, if you haven't time or patience to keep checking, place aluminum foil over a pan for 30 minutes and then remove for the last 30 minutes. Some people claim that the aluminum spoils the taste of the apples though, so you may wish to consider this. Keep the foil shiny side down if you use this method.
     
   • Microwave - Wrap plastic wrap over the dish. Although some people frown upon the use of a microwave, it's not just for frozen dinners, nor is it a sign of laziness. You really cannot predict how long it'll take in the microwave, it depends on how hard the apple is. The apple decides for itself! Most apples take at least two minutes. After it cooks for two minutes, microwave it at intervals of 30 seconds, checking each time the microwave stops. When it is soft and the skin is falling off, it's done!
     
   
   
8. Take out the apple and let it cool off for a few minutes. Don't try to eat it right away, because it will be extremely hot. It's best to eat it with a fork, but some people prefer a spoon. Be sure to cut up the apple, or you'll wind up with the whole apple in your mouth after taking one bite!
   

Video

This video shows a different variation of Baked Apple with a french twist:

How to Make Baked Apples

Tips

• Some companies sell an apple corer. This is a nifty little device able to core apples. If you have one, you can use it. A melon baller scoops it out nicely. Use a knife to scrape out the inside of where the core used to be, as you don't want bits of core in your apple!
  
• If you don't like apple skin, peel the apple when you core it. Be aware though, that usually after the apple has been baked, the skin can be peeled off easily if you don't want it.
  
• Optional ideas: cut up a fresh peach and put small pieces in the core with the raisins. Cut the peach into eighths, then take two eighths and cut them into about 5 pieces each. The rest can be used for another recipe or just eaten. Add a little nutmeg (just a shake) for added spiciness. If you like, also add allspice and maybe even ginger. Pecans also make good filling.
  
• Sprinkle the fruit and spices around the apple if your core hole is filled up. This can be done toward the end of cooking, or even after if you want a "fresher" taste.
  
• Use marshmallows, brown sugar and cinnamon in the center. It makes a caramel meringue.
  

Warnings

• Do not cut the apple into slices before baking. The apples will get mushy and not taste as good.
  
• When you add nutmeg and peaches to your apple, leave the raisins and cinnamon in too. The peaches and nutmeg will taste strange without the raisins and cinnamon.
  
• Be careful! When the apple come out of the microwave or oven, it will be very hot. Do not let children take it out.
  

Things You'll Need

• Knife or apple corer
  
• A microwave-safe or oven-safe dish
  
• Plastic or saran wrap (microwavable)
  
• Aluminum (oven, optional)
  
• A microwave or oven
  
• Teaspoon to help spoon ingredients into apple
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Apple Crumble
  
• How to Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch
  
• How to Eat an Apple With a Spoon
  
• How to Keep a Cut Apple from Turning Brown
  
• How to Bake a Pound Cake
  
• How to Bake a Rhubarb Cake
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ Clark, Melissa In Search of the Perfect Baked Apple

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Baked Apple. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Bake Swedish Style Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar) - wikiHow

Bake Swedish Style Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar) - wikiHow

How to Bake Swedish Style Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar)

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Swedish cinnamon rolls (Kanelbullar) typically contain the spice cardamom and are not as sweet or heavy as other types of cinnamon rolls. They are traditionally topped with pearl sugar. This particular recipe omits the cardamom, but is still delicious!

Ingredients

Makes 15 rolls.

Dough

• 1/3 cup dry milk powder
  
• 2 3/4 cups flour
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, rounded
  
• 1/8 pound unsalted butter, 1/2 stick
  
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
  
• 2 3/4 cups flour
  
• 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 packet
  

Filling

• 1/8 pound unsalted butter, 1 stick, softened
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• Pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes
  

Steps

1. Add dry ingredients to a 12 to 14 cup food processor bowl. If you need a primer, read How to Use Measuring Spoons and Cups.
   
   • If you don't have a food processor, you can make the dough by hand. See How to Knead Dough
     
   
   
2. Pulse to mix.
   
3. Add soft butter to dry ingredients. Pulse to mix.
   
   • If you're ever in a pinch, you can make your own butter from cream.
     
   
   
4. Heat water until it reaches 110 degrees F for regular yeast or 120 degrees for instant yeast. To understand why the water needs to be this temperature, read How to Work With Yeast in Bread Making.
   
5. Turn the food processor on and add water until a soft dough forms.
   
6. Knead by pulsing the dough until a soft dough forms. To prevent over heating the dough, stop the processor, let rest a minute or so, then pulse again until the dough is smooth.
   
7. Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
   
8. Add dough to prepared bowl.
   
9. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise about 30 minutes or until doubled.
   
10. Roll out dough into a rectangle.
    
11. Spread soft butter onto dough and sprinkle with cinnamon.
    
12. Roll up dough so that it looks like a jelly roll.
    
13. Cut dough into 3/4-inch slices. There should be about 15 rolls.
    
14. Place rolls onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
    
15. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
    
16. Turn oven to 425 degrees F to preheat.
    
    • If you have an old oven, you might benefit from reading How to Cook Food in a Bad Oven.
      
    
    
17. Remove plastic wrap from the risen rolls.
    
18. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Brush beaten egg over cinnamon rolls.
    
19. Sprinkle pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes over cinnamon rolls.
    
20. Bake the rolls until golden, about 15 minutes.
    

Tips

• Pearl sugar can be found in most baking catalogs or at IKEA. Crushed sugar cubes can be used instead.
  
• Use whole dry milk powder such as Nido, if you can find it. The whole dry milk powder adds richnes to the recipe and makes a softer roll.
  

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups
  
• Measuring spoons
  
• Food process although you could make this recipe in the mixer
  
• Mixing bowls
  
• Whisk
  
• Parchment paper
  
• Baking sheet
  
• Cooling rack
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
  
• How to Bake Monkey Bread
  
• How to Make Dinner Rolls
  
• How to Bake a Cinnamon Coffee Cake
  
• How to Work With Yeast in Bread Making
  

Sources and Citations

• Gretchen's Cookbook - This recipe was adapted from Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar) found at Gretchen's Cookbook. Her recipe calls for 1 teaspoon cardamon and is made using a mixer.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Bake Swedish Style Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar). All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Make sure to visit this article page as there is a video too!

MMMmmm Enjoy!!

Teri :)

Make an Angel Card Using Embossing and Paper Cutting - wikiHow

Make an Angel Card Using Embossing and Paper Cutting - wikiHow

The above link will take you to the WikiHow article with pictures. I am not sure why the pics don't show up when using the reprint code. :(
However the cards turn out beautiful and the tools you need are not expensive. Check Home Shopping Network (HSN), Ebay, Amazon, etc. for good deals on paper, embossing templates, and the pens.

Make sure you get a pen set that has different size tips (More than one pen) so you can vary the width and depth of the embossed outlines.

I found a set on HSN of 4 pens for only $9.99!

Have fun, these make great holiday cards to send to your family and friends and even kids can do it.

Of course, you may want to do the cut-outs for them depending on how old the kids are.

Teri

How to Make an Angel Card Using Embossing and Paper Cutting

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ever looked at those lovely glossy cards on store shelves and wished that you could make similar ones? Well, it's not too difficult. Some basic tools + your imagination = Great cards! Here's how!

Steps

1. Choose the colours you want to use. This example shows use of bronze and white papers for the card. You can vary the colours as per your requirement. Take a more than 160 grams per square meter weight paper (250 gsm paper is used in this example), preferably A4 sheet but you can really use any size you want. Fold it into half and decide which side you want to use as the front of the card.
   
2. Make guidelines on the back side of the front cover. In this case, guidelines are made 2.5 cm from the edge, leaving enough room for the design to be accommodated.
   
3. Stick the embossing pattern with scotch tape along the guiding lines. Don't use ordinary cello tape as it's hard to remove. Scotch tape comes off easily.
   
4. Take an embossing needle (as you can see in the picture here) and start outlining the pattern on the front cover, much like moving a pen around on a stencil.
   
   • Here is how it will look.
     
   
   
5. Outline the inner pattern after you're through with the outer pattern.
   
   • This is how it'll look after finishing.
     
   
   
6. Keeping the edge of the embossed pattern in mind, cut the bronze (or whichever colour you want) paper ribbon and paste it as shown.
   
7. Make two rectangles with this ribbon.
   
   • This is how it'll look after you're finished with pasting the ribbons.
     
   
   
8. Paste the second mold on the “outside” of the front cover (it's a positive embossing pattern). You can use a negative embossing pattern also. In that case, you need to paste it on the back side, much like the angel embossing pattern.
   
9. Start embossing with the needle on the reverse side. This is how it'll look from the back as you emboss.
   
   • After you're through with embossing, cut out the portions from in between and if you wish to, make a thin border cut.
     
   
   
10. Paste a bronze colour paper at the back to give it a matched look.
    
11. Use the same bronze colour paper, cut out flowers and paste them as shown.
    
    • This is a flower punch.
      
    • This is how it looks at the base.
      
    • This shows you how it punches a flower out of a paper.
      
    
    
12. Paste a white flower of a smaller size on top of the bronze flower. Using an ordinary paper punch, cut out two small circles of bronze paper and paste them at the centre of the white flower. And that's it. The card is ready!
    

Tips

• Use contrasting colours to enhance the beauty of the card.
  
• For gifting to older people or for formal occasions like weddings, stick to muted colours like silver, bronze, copper, white, grey, black, brown etc.
  
• For gifting to younger people or for informal occasions, use more striking contrasts like blue + pink, green + red, yellow + violet, maroon + cream.
  
• If the edges of the paper ribbon don't match exactly, cover the joints with small decorative crystals or paper flowers
  
• Positive embossing pattern implies that the embossed area face the 'outer side' of the card. Negative embossing implies that the area 'left' by the embossing needle is on the outer side
  

Warnings

• Be careful while cutting off the sections from the embossed paper.
  
• Keep cleaning your hands to avoid stains on light colour papers.
  
• After making the embossed patterns, avoid putting too much pressure on them as that may flatten the patterns.
  

Things You'll Need

• More than 160 grams per square meter (gsm) paper in two different colours (background and foreground colours)
  
• Paper ribbon of the background colour
  
• Scissors
  
• Paper cutter
  
• Embossing stencils
  
• Paper punches (of shapes of your choice, flower shape is used here)
  
• Scotch tape
  
• Resin glue
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make an Angel Pop up Card (Robert Sabuda Method)
  
• How to Make a Pop up Photograph
  
• How to Make a Greeting Card Envelope
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make an Angel Card Using Embossing and Paper Cutting. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Chocolate Mousse - The Delicious Dessert for ANY Holiday!

MMMM... Anything with chocoalate sounds good anytime!

Remember to watch the kids around the double boiler... there is boiling water in the bottom :)



Prep time: 30 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. semisweet chocolate chips or chopped baking squares
4 Wild Oats eggs, separated
4 Wild Oats egg whites,at room temperature
1/2 cup Florida Crystals sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups Horizon Organic whipping cream, well chilled
Pinch of salt



Preparation:

1. Melt chocolate over double boiler.

2. Separate eggs, and whip egg whites in a dry clean bowl with salt until soft peaks form. Set aside.

3. Whip cream until stiff. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, blend egg yolks with sugar and vanilla. Slowly add to the double boiler of melted chocolate and stir vigorously, until the egg yolks and sugar have been well mixed.

5. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, whipped cream and chocolate and stir with a whisk.

Serving Suggestions:

Spoon mousse into wine glasses or small ramekin dishes and chill for 2 hours. Serve with a combination or all of the following: a dollop of whipped cream, grated orange zest, or mint leaves.

Enjoy!
Teri

PS. Here are some great ramekin bowls... also known as custard bowls:




And of course, you don't need brand name eggs if you want to use "regular" eggs, that is fine! :)

t.

Spinning Cartesian Diver - Fun Party Craft Project!

I found this article on WikiPedia and thought you would enjoy this project either with your children or at a childrens' party.

One note of caution: There is one step in the project that requires a lighter to seal the ends of the straw. YOU should do this quick step for the kids :)

And of course... Have Fun!!

How to Make a Spinning Cartesian Diver

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

With this variation of the Cartesian diver, you can put two of them in the same bottle and they'll spin in synchrony like little underwater dancers! This Cartesian diver can also demonstrate the principle of buoyancy (Archimedes’ principle) and the ideal gas law.

Steps

1. Bend a straw into a "J" shape.
   
2. Cut the straw so that the length of the left and right is same.
   
3. Insert the straw through the washer so that the washer rests on the bendy part.
   
4. Pinch the ends together with pliers.
   
5. Hold up a flame to the ends so that they are sealed together.
   
6. Make two holes with a pin, as shown in the images.
   
7. Drop the straw into a glass of water.
   
8. Adjust the buoyancy by squeezing it so that the straw sucks up water through the pin holes. That'll make it sink a little. You want it so that about 5-10mm of the straw is barely above the water.
   
9. Repeat all of these steps to make a second Cartesian diver.
   
10. Put both divers in a bottle of water.
    
11. Screw on the bottle cap tightly. The seal must be airtight.
    
12. Grasp a bottle and experiment with squeezing it and loosening your grip. When this movement is repeated, the straws will spin as they go up and down.
    

Videos

Tips

• In Japan, making a spinning Cartesian diver is an activity used to aid rehabilitation of the hands of senior citizens.
  
• Squeezing the bottle compresses the air in the diver and also pushes a little water into the pinholes. When the bottle is released, the air in the diver expands and some of the water is expelled. The diver floats again (because it is now less dense since the air within has expanded) and the straw spins because water is expelled through the pinholes on either side, just as a rocket ship moves by expelling burning fuel.
  

Warnings

• Don't cut your finger!
  
• Don't get burned!
  

Things You'll Need

• Flex straws
  
• Washers (stainless)
  
• Pair of scissors
  
• Radio pliers
  
• Lighter
  
• Marking pin
  
• Glass of water
  
• Plastic bottle
  

(NOTE:
Follow the link below to the original article to view the pictures. For some reason they don't "follow" when the article is embedded somewhere else - Spinning Cartesian Diver Original Article)

[edit] Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Spin Rocket Cartesian Diver
  
• How to Make a Cartesian Diver
  
• How to Make a Cartesian Diver with a Ketchup Packet
  
• How to Make Fat Heart from Plastic Straws
  
• How to Make Hearts from Plastic Straws
  

[edit] Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_diver

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Spinning Cartesian Diver.
All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Bruschetta - An Easy and Delicious Appetizer for Any Holiday Meal

This is an easy recipe that makes a great appetizer that anyone can make!

Prep time: 25 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced
1/2 cup Wild Oats olive oil
15 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt & cracked black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions:

1. Slice baguette into1/2￠-inch rounds. Brush rounds with olive oil, and toast on a baking sheet for 5-8 minutes at 375˚F (Watch carefully –to avoid burning.)

2. Drain the tomatoes well in a colander. Add red onion, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Toss and top each toast with the mixture.

3. Sprinkle with the parmesan just before serving.

Enjoy!

Blarney Stones Cakes - A Great St. Patrick's Day Treat!

Blarney Stones are easy to make and fun to have around as appetizers or small desserts for your St. Patrick's Day Parties.

Ingredients:
------------

6 Servings

Cake:
-----

4 Eggs
2 c Sugar
1/2 t Salt
2 t Vanilla
2 T Butter
1 c Milk,hot
2 c Cake flour
2 t Baking powder

Icing:
------

Powdered sugar
Milk
Peanuts (or pecans) - fine (or ground), Chopped

Preparation:
-------------

Melt butter in hot milk.
Beat the eggs with a rotary beater until light;
beat in sugar, salt, vanilla and butter mixture.
Sift flour and baking powder together; beat in quickly.

Pour into a greased 13x9" pan.
Pound the pan several times to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 25-35 minutes at 350.
Cool the cake and cut in 4x1" pieces.
Cover all sides with icing made of powdered sugar and milk to your desired consistency.
Roll in nuts of choice.

ENJOY!

Teri

:)

Bread and Glue Clay Easy Recipe for Kids

Here is something fun for those rainy / snowy winter indoor play days!

You‟ll need :
8 slices of day-old white bread (Less expensive fluffy type)
1 /2 C. White Glue
Food color
Flour for work space
Wax paper

To Make:
Remove Crusts.
Break bread into small pieces and put in mixing bowl.
Pour glue over bread.
Mix with one hand until it becomes a sticky mass.
Take the out of the bowl and form into a ball .
With both hands keep patting into a smaller ball until it becomes just slightly tacky.
Dust work surface with a small amount of flour and knead gently until it becomes smoother and more pliable.
Knead firmly at this time.
Knead until texture is satiny, about 5 mins.
Wrap tightly with plastic to store.

Remember to seal the unused portion while working.

To color dough tear off portion needed , flatten and add color directly onto dough.
Blend until satiny again. Add flour, if needed to achieve the proper texture.

After making sculptures...
Air dry. Drying times vary depending on thickness.
To speed up drying place on cookie sheet and leave overnight in an unlit oven.

Paint with acrylic paints (optional) and seal with spray on finish.

Oh yea... and have lots of fun!

Enjoy :)

Teri

St. Patrick's Day - Country Cork Irish Stew

This is a good Irish Stew recipe to make on St. Patrick's Day.

There are usually a lot of activities like parades, pub crawls, etc., and this Irish Stew can be served as a meal to the whole family or kept warm and served as family members or friends come and go between holiday events. Also, it is a change from beef stew as it is made with lamb instead. :)

Makes 4 Servings.

Ingredients:

8 Small lamb chops, thawed
1 T Vegetable oil
1 Peppercorns, thyme, rosemary
2 c cabbage, finely shredded
1 Large leek white thin, sliced
1 1/2 c Celery stalks, diced
1 fresh parsley, chopped
1 Salt and pepper
1 Bay leaf
1 lb Potatoes (3 to 4 medium )
1 Medium onion,chopped
12 Small white onions
1 1/2 c peas

Directions:

Season chops with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in saucepan wide enough to hold all chops in a single layer.
Brown on both sides.
Spoon off any melted fat and add enough water to cover chops.
Bring to a boil and add parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary enclosed
in cheesecloth.
Lower heat and simmer.
Meanwhile, peel potatoes and shape into bite sized rounds.
Chop trimmings from potatoes into small pieces.
Add potatoes, trimmings, cabbage, onion, well-rinsed leek, white onions and celery to chops and liquid.
Simmer 20 minutes then add peas.
Add a little more water if needed during cooking.
Simmer 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender.
Correct seasoning to taste. (Don't forget to remove the bay leaf too!)
Garnish with parsley and serve.

Come back often for more Irish recipes you can use on and around St. Patrick's Day!

Do you need cheesecloth?

Try these cheesecloths
.... Amazon customers have given them a 5 star rating!

Enjoy!

Cheesecake Pancakes with Strawberry-Lemon Syrup

I know that most of the recipes here are for creating meals and treats with your children, and the kids can make the syrup while you make the pancakes...

However, this is also a great Valentine's Day breakfast treat. :)

Serve that special someone these awesome pancakes and you will have their heart forever!

Ingredients:

* 2 cups Buttermilk pancake mix
* 1 1/4 cup Water
* 1 cup Small curd cottage cheese
* 1 tablespoon Sugar
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Strawberry-Lemon Syrup

* 1 cup Syrup
* 1 cup sliced strawberries
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind

Directions:
Preheat griddle.
Combine the pancake mix, water, cottage cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl
Stir well until blended.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls on hot, well-greased griddle.
Flip pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles.

For Strawberry-Lemon Syrup:

Combine the syrup, strawberries, and lemon rind in a small saucepan; heat through, stirring occasionaly.




Here are some essentials!

This griddle is just the right size for two and folds up for easy space-saving storage :)



Here are two fun products if you are making the pancakes for the kids, or the whole family:

1. Nordicware 01980 Zoo Friends Pancake Pan
:"For a wild breakfast adventure, whip up a batch of pancakes in this clever cast aluminum, non-stick pan. It makes 7 silver-dollar pancakes, each with a different zoo animal face." (Amazon description)


Or if you are making for Christmas...
2. Nordicware 01970 Christmas Morning Pancake Pan: "Perfect for Christmas morning. Makes seven thin 3-inch pancakes in fun Christmas shapes." (Amazon description)


Also, you can get a discount if you order both of the Nordicware pans together!

Enjoy!!

PS. Notice the newly added children's Recipe/Cookbook in the upper right of the blog! Highly recommended and includes more than just recipes like safety tips, recipe histories, etc.